VintageSeattle.org

Bill Maher’s new film Religulous opens tomorrow around the country (trailer here). I’ve got my ticket for the Lincoln Square showing in Bellevue (strangely, few Seattle theatres are running it). So what better time to take a look at a historic West Seattle holy site? This building, designed by architect Gilbert C. Field, was home to the Christian Scientist Church from 1929 until 2003 (when their dwindling congregation merged with another nearby church). These days it’s used as a gathering place for weddings, concerts, and the like — under the name The Sanctuary At Admiral. Click on the thumbnails for larger views of the photos I snapped.

Front of former Christian Scientist Church in West Seattle.	South face along SW Lander St.
Southeast corner of building bordering alley.	Northeast corner.
The sanctuary inside, now renovated into a special events gathering place.	Alternate angle of sanctuary from upper balcony.
Looking back toward the bar area and balcony. Beyond the balcony is a suite.	Ornate front entry and vestibule.

In 1961 the City of Seattle was busy prepping for the next year’s anticipated Century 21 Expo (aka World’s Fair). One of the many pamphlets produced to introduce the world to Seattle was Seattle The Nation’s Most Beautiful City” — a humble publication meant to show exactly why Seattle rocks so hard. Two of the most vivid examples were the Alweg Monorail and The Space Needle. Scope out these artist’s renderings and model of the grounds. Click here for a photo showing what the monorail terminal ended up looking like. As always, click on the thumbnails for larger views. Thanks to John Chilson of Lost Oregon for this material.

Artist’s concept of the monorail terminal in the Westlake Mall in downtown Seattle. The Alweg monorail will be capable of carrying 10,000 persons an hour from the Mall to the World’s Fair grounds a mile away. Each trip will take less than 1 1/2 minutes. From “Seattle The Nation’s Most Beautiful City” Copyright 1961, Published by Ellis Postcard Co.

Rendering of the top of the Space Needle with Seattle and Mt. Rainier in background. From “Seattle The Nation’s Most Beautiful City” Copyright 1961, Published by Ellis Postcard Co.

Model showing the World’s Fair grounds. From “Seattle The Nation’s Most Beautiful City” Copyright 1961, Published by Ellis Postcard Co.

What a day. The largest point drop in U.S. market, ever. Now that’s history Woah, emoticon. At the risk of merely looking back to the “good old days,” here is an old postcard showing The Camlin Hotel and Cabanas. The hotel had its own financial troubles. Just after opening in 1926, questionable withdrawals were noticed and State Supervisor of Savings and Loans W.L. Nicely said:

The Camlin Hotel and Cabanas. Seattle’s distinguished hotel to which has been added the attractive features of the modern motel. Smart tower rooms or cabanas with private lanais. Swim pool, sun deck. Cloud Room and Sky Terrace, high atop the tower, for dining or cocktails. Downtown, handy to everything. Plenty of free parking, free television.

File this 1909 hand-tinted shot of Second Ave in the same folder we stashed this pre-regrade photo and this comparo. It shows Second Ave with the Standard Furniture Co. Building (now Nordstrom Rack), Moore Theatre, and New Washington Hotel (as opposed to the old Washington Hotel). Click on the thumbnail for a larger view.

Upper Second Avenue. New Washington Hotel and other buildings, all constructed within the past eighteen months. Photo by Webster & Stevens. The Argus, 1909.

Found a couple old Volunteer Park photos floating around my collection. They were probably taken in the mid 30’s when the Art Museum (now Seattle Asian Art Museum) opened up. Also check out the 1941 Art Museum postcard I posted back in January. Click on the photos for more res.

Volunteer Park. Seattle, Washington.

Art Museum In Volunteer Park. Seattle, WN.

We are carrying on with Part 2 of our look at the Central District’s 1929 Greenfield Grocery Building. Check out Part 1 from yesterday showing the exterior, if you haven’t already. Developer Ron Rubin of Central Space scooped up this property in order to restore it and create a new sidewalk oriented, pedestrian friendly shopping district between 23rd and 24th. You can see some of his design ideas and inspiration at smallboxretail.com. The aim is to bring character rich “small box” retail, similar to what you’d find in Bangkok or Amsterdam, to the CD. It’s a goal that I think many local developers would be wise to adopt. As such, I tip my hat to Ron and his team. To say the least, I was impressed with his vision. Check out the photos from the interior of the Greenfield’s Grocery Building below and, as always, click on the thumbnails for larger versions.

Front entrance along E Cherry St.	Looking toward the north wall of the structure.
Detail of heavy timber beam.	Showing the concrete and brick wall.
Northwest corner of interior.	Looking back toward the southwest corner.
The building’s beams appear to be made of fir.	Floor and framing detail.
Roof structure in good condition.	Another section of horizontal members.

I had a chance recently to tour the Central District’s Greenfield’s Grocery Building with developer Ron Rubin of Central Space. The 1929 brick building (recently home to Dilletante Chocolate), located at 23rd and E Cherry, is undergoing a restoration in order to be used as a neighborhood coffee shop and other yet undetermined uses that will encourage pedestrianism and sidwalk oriented micro buisness. Contact Ron if you are interested in the building. Today we’ll look at the exterior of the building and I’ve also posted Part 2 with a peak inside. As you can see from the vintage photos below, the building once housed Greenfield’s Grocery and Barnes Fuel Company. The Barnes office concrete foundation and a pile of coal still linger today just around the back of the building. The exterior of the building remains in excellent shape. Click on the thumbnails for larger photos. Big thanks to Vintage Seattle reader Ron Rubin for the tour. Don’t forget to check out Part 2 of this feature where we venture inside.

1930’s tax photo.	June 1944 photo of the building.
Modern day view of the building.	Alternate angle.
Southeastern corner.	Close up of brick and hand decorated tile.
Along E Cherry.	Along 23rd.
Back of the building.	Vintage photograph showing fuel company office.
This concrete slab remains from the fuel company office.	There is also an old pile of coal remaining.

Just a simple image today: looking toward 1st Hill. No date on it, but you can make out a few landmarks (St. James Cathedral). The city always looks so foreign when you look back before I5 cut it up. Click on the postcard for a larger image.

409 — Looking Toward the 1st Hill, Seattle.

With our financial institutions crumbling around us, I thought we might look back 80 years to this vintage ad for Northern Life Insurance Company. The year was 1928 and the Northern Life Tower had just been completed — called out as “visible evidence of the company’s progress and achievement.” The ad is selling the “New Souvenir Tower Policy,” protection against the hazard of the “Deadly Wheel” (loss of thumb, forefinger, hand, foot, sight, etc). Back here in modern day I suppose I’ll choose losing my savings over losing my foot. Click on the ad for full resolution.

Northern Life Insurance Company. The New Souvenir Tower Policy. The Argus, 1928.

I know this isn’t directly Mariner related, but they are playing the last game today at Yankee Stadium before it is torn down. I grew up on the east coast going to games at the 85-year old “House That Ruth Built” and wondered why in the world this wasn’t a protected historic landmark. Turns out, the 1970’s got it (alternate article here). The Stadium’s 74-75 renovation has been called “unsympathetic.” The Yankees themselves have never asked for a landmark designation because to people like George Steinbrenner, profit will always trump history. Now with that bit of negativity out of the way, let’s check out our Vintage Seattle Player O The Week: Skip Jutze. He was part of the first Mariners season of baseball in 1977 and is known for having hit the first grand slam in M’s history. (Hard) Hats off to you, Skip.

Skip Jutze, Seattle Mariners, Catcher, Topps, 1978.

It’s Clark’s, according to this old linen-era postcard that caught my eye. Vintage Seattle readers are contributing more info on whatever happened to Clark’s (all of them). Hit our comments if you have anything to add. Click on the postcard for a closer look.

In Seattle It’s Clark’s For Fine Foods and Courteous Friendly Service. Clark’s Restaurant  Enterprises, Inc. offer you these famous restaurants in Seattle: Clark’s Salad Bowl — 1319 5th Ave; Clark’s Round The Clock — 1001 Olive Way; Clark’s Top Notch — 1121 E. 45th Street; Clark’s Coffee Tavern — 1628 5th Ave; Clark’s Catering Co. — 215 Columbia Street.

One of the issues getting a lot of press (sometimes in the form of outright lies) this election cycle is energy independence. It’s not a new idea, as shown by this Pavilion Of Electric Power handout from Seattle’s ‘62 World’s Fair. These days, Hydroelectric still rules in Washington State — it is the leading producer in the nation with The Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River as the highest capacity plant in the country. Click on the thumbnails for higher-resolution images.

Pavilion Of Electric Power. Sponsored by the Electric Utilities Of Washington. Seattle World’s Fair 1962.

Pre-filled postcard format.

The Story Of Electricity. As told in the Pavilion Of Electric Power. A large 16 x 24-foot relief map of Washington “floating” in a pool shows how the most electrified state in the Union is harnessing its rivers to produce an abundance of low-cost electricity. A colorful water wheel symbolizes the old “at site” use of water power. Alongside is a modern water wheel generator which demonstrates how water power is converted to electric power which can be transmitted to where it is needed. An animated display of nature’s water cycle shows why water power is inexhaustible. Another illustrates how power dams not only produce electricity but bring extra benefits of flood control, navigation, recreation and irrigation. Two more displays explain how electricity is produced from atomic and solar energy. Like others at the Space Age World’s Fair, this exhibit points out how our wonderful world will be even better in Century 21.

From the same copy of the 1902 Seattle Mail And Herald that brought us this West Seattle property ad comes a similar ad for Rainier Beach. It’s called “the place to live” — complete with electric car line service, sidewalks, street lights, schools, churches, stores. All the good stuff, as well as some steals on property values. Check it out by clicking for more resolution.

Rainier Beach. The place to live. Beautiful location on shores of Lake Washington, within 30 minutes ride of Seattle, on 5 cent electric car line. Service from 5:45am to 12pm. Lots average in size 50 x 113 and a 15 foot alley. Prices: $50, $75, $85 and $100. The Seattle Mail And Herald, 1902.

We just hit this area of Capitol Hill last month — but the houses are too good to pass up. Headed a couple blocks away to snap some photos of 1249 16th Ave E — now selling for $1.25 million (a full 100k less than when I took the photos a few weeks ago). She was built in 1906, 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath in over 4,000 square feet. It is a simple classic in a classy neighborhood. Give the listing a look if you’re looking for a home. Thanks to Christina McDonald of Coldwell Banker Bain for the tour.

Front of the home from street level.	Looking toward street from front porch.
Back yard with detached garage.	Profile of back face.
Front entry as you walk in the door.	Looking down toward the stained glass as you ascend the staircase.
First level living area with tiled fireplace.	Formal dining room off of the living area and kitchen (right).
Master bedroom. A reading area is behind photographer.	Second level bathroom.

Had my brother and his wife in town for the weekend, visiting from Reno. It was their first trip to the Pacific Northwest so we hit the usual “first timer” spots like Pike Place. The super nice weather also allowed for a hike around Mount Si and quick stop by Snoqualmie Falls. Dogs are banned (cue “nanny state” rant) so we just went for a short photo op. I’ve been to the falls so many times now, but every time I see them I’m amazed all over again. Check out this 1903 Lowman & Hanford hand tint card.

1015 — Snoqualmie Falls near Seattle, Wash. Copyright, 1903, by Lowman & Hanford S. and P. Co., Seattle.